Playing card shuffler



9 1953 w. E. SCHOULTZ PLAYING CARD SHUFFLER'.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 1'7, 1950 1953 w. E. SCHOULTZ PLAYING CARDSHUFFLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 17, 1950 %r/% INVENTOR.

Patented Aug. 18, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PLAYING CARD SHUFFLERWalter E. Schoultz, Fort Wayne, Ind.

Application March 17, 1950, Serial No. 150,195

7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in a playing card shufller.

Ordinarily devices for shuffling playing cards are such that the cardsare loosely arranged in a container to be shifted about by applyingmotion to the container resulting in mingling of the cards at randomwithout certainty of equal intermingling of the cards being shufiled.

The purpose of the instant invention is to provide a device by which onepack of cards is disposed oppositely respecting another pack of cardsand then sprung uniformly together so the cards of one pack initiallyoverlap those in the other pack to permit them to be moved together in acompletely shuffled condition.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device by which playingcards are accurately and quickly shuffled with but slight effort.

And a further object of the invention is to construct the device so thatopposing stacks of cards are initially held divergently in oppositeslanting positions and subsequently moved so the individual cards of theopposing packs overlap each other as the device is operated.

Other objects and advantages of the invention appear in the followingdescription.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a structure in which the invention isincorporated as it appears in readiness for use;

Fig. 2 is a similar view as the device appears after completion of thecard shufliing operation, there also being included, in dotted lines,opposing stacks of cards disposed therein in the positions assumedduring the shuffling operation;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the appliance including opposing packs ofcards arranged in positions preparatory to the shuiiling operation; and

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view projected from Fig. 3.

The illustrative embodiment of the invention consists of a case 5, openat its top and front, having an upstanding back 6, and end walls Iprovided adjacent their forward ends with inwardly extending stops 8respectively.

A partition 9 extends forwardly from the back 6 midway between its ends,the forward end of the partition terminating at a point spaced from theopen front of the case, and the case has a shelf that extends forwardlybeyond the open front of the case, the outer end of the shelf beingprovided with an anchor strip l I.

The inner walls of the ends 1 of the case have slight upward and outwardslant for the purpose hereinafter referred to.

Within the case is arranged a slide l2 that overlies the bottom 13 ofthe case, which has movement out through the open front of the case overthe shelf Ill thereof, and is provided at its forward end with anupstanding cleat 14 by which the slide is manipulated to and fro.

The rear portion of the slide 12 has made therein a slot [5 arrangedastri-de the partition 9 on the case and on said slide are ridges 16that extend parallel with and are spaced from the slot I5. The ridgesare disposed oppositely with respect to the slot and slant upwardlytoward each other so that card packs I! when placed in the case upon theslide rest in upward slanting positions against the partition.

When the card packs are positioned as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the outerends of the card packs rest against the slanting inner walls of the ends1 of the case and their inner ends bear against the partition 9, saidcard packs being relatively divergent inwardly, with their outer endsbearing against the inwardly extending stops 8.

Upon the rear marginal portion of the slide l2 are secured verticallyextending push-posts I8 spaced outwardly from the ridges I6 that contactrespectively with the backs of the card packs I! when the slide is movedforwardly and cause slippage of the inner ends of the card packs pastthe partition 9 uniformly so the individual cards of the two packsoverlap each other successively as their inner ends leave the partition.

Upon the slide l2, ahead and in alinement with the slot I5 is anupstanding stop l9 by which is limited movement of the cards as they areflipped from contact with the partition 9 during the forward advance ofthe slide, thus preventing disarrangement of the cards. By this meansthe overlapping cards, upon completion of the forward movement of theslide, are prevented from becoming scattered.

In use, the slide is moved to its inwardmost position in the case, as inFig. 1, after which the card packs H are positioned, as shown in Fig. 3,with their backs against the push-posts respectively, their inner endsbearing against the partition, and with their outer ends bearing againstthe slanting inner walls of the ends 1 of the case and against theinwardly extending stops 8. The slide I2 is then moved outwardly bymanipulating the cleat l4 accordingly, thus causing the card packs to besprung outwardly past the partition 9, during which operation the cardsin the two packs become closely intermingled, after which they arereadily shoved by'the operator into a single pack accurately shuiiled.

By use of this invention thorough shufflingof the cards withoutrequirement of more than ordinary skill is accomplished with dispatch.

Variations from the particular construction above disclosed may beresorted to by the exercise of skill in the art, without departure fromthe spirit or scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A card shufiler consisting of a case, the top and front of which areopen, said case having an upstanding back and end walls, the inner facesof said end walls having upward and outward slant, and the forward endsof said end wallshaving inwardly extending stops, a partition in=saidlcase dextending from said rbackpa rtway toward the :open .front,:a ishelf extending forwardly from the bottom of the case provided withan anchor strip, a slide overlying the botv tom of the case havingoutward movement and provided with a cleat at its forward a'e'dge, :saidslide having a slot extending astride said .rpartition and provided withparallel ridges adjacent the sides of said slot that slantupwar'dl'yitoward each other, upstanding posts on the rear marginalportion of said slide spaced outwardly "from said ridges adapted to haveengagement with porresponding card packs when said *packs are positionedobliquely in'opposite positions in the case between the end walls andsaid partition and against said inwardly extending-stops, and an'upstandingstop on said slide ahead of and aimed with said slot bywhich'to limit movement of thecard'packs as the cards of said'packs areflipped from the partition during outward movement of said slide.

'2. A card shuffier consisting of a case "having an open top and frontand provided with back and end walls, a stationary vertical partitionlocated in the'midportionof the case, inwardly extending stops on theend walls adjacent the open front of the case, and a movable slide insaid case provided with two upstanding pushpostsarranged 'on the rearportion thereof so as to be positionable on opposite sides of saidpartition, and an upstanding stop on said slide alined with saidpartition, ridges on said slide located respectively between saidpartition and the corresponding push-posts, the parts being arranged sothat when card packs are placed in opposite positions in verticaldivergent planes on said slidebetween'the end wallsand said par-"tition, and "the slide is moved outwardly, the packs "are -'movedaccordingly by action of said push-posts so the individual cards in saidpacks are fiippedfrom contact with said partition into overlappingrelation witheach other, the stops on theend wallsand the slidebeingadapted to prevent-scattering o'f-the cards.

Acard shufiler consisting o'f -a case having a back and ends, the innerwalls of said ends having upward and outward slant, inwardlyex- "of said'case, 'a-movable slide in said case, pushposts on the rear portion ofsaid slide extending upwardly therefrom, and an upwardly extending stopon said slide 'alined with :said partition, said push-"posts beingpositioned on said slide with respect to said partition insuch a mannerasto engagecard'pa'cks placed oppositely in vertically'di-vergentiplanes between said ends and the partition to cause theindividual cards in said card packs to become' flipped from saidpartition. into overlapping relation with each other, and said stops ;onsaid :ends and slide being adapted to prevent-scattering of the cards.

4. Aacard shuffler consisting of a case provided with .an1upstan'dingback and ends, a vertical partition disposediinthe midportion of saidcase, anrinwardly extending stop on each of said ends adjacent the frontportion thereof, :a movable slide in said case, upstanding push-posts onthe reariportion of said-slide located oppositely with respect to said1partition,an upstanding stop on said slide alined with said partition,and 'forwardlylextending:ridges on said slide adjacent the opposite:sides pf said partition adapted 'to support card;.packs in divergentplanes placed on said ridges in said case between said partition andends, said push-gposts, when dJhe slide is moved forwardly in said case,being adapted to engage said card packs and cause the individual cardsin said packs to become flipped from said partition lirito overlappingrelation with each other, and .theistops on said ends and slide beingadapted to engage and prevent scattering of the overlap ing cards.

5.,A.card shufiler consisting of a case having a forwardly extendingvertical partition supported in its midportion and provided withupstanding end-s theinner'faces of which slant upwardly and outwardly,and a slide in said case movable i'for wardly therein and provided withupstanding push-posts on its rear portion disposed respectively oppositethe sides of-said partition, eachof said ends'having at forward portionan inwardly extending stop and said I slide having -an upwardlyextending stop alined with said partition, said push-posts and the stopson said ends and slide being arranged to *have engagement with cardpacksplaced-in said case on saidslide 'between'said ends and the partitionasthe slide is moved forwardly and cause the individual cardsof saidpacks to be flipped from said partition into overlapping relation withseach :other and prevent'scatteringof said cards.

6. Acard shuflier consisting tof J-apase having an open toprandfrontland'provided with Uoack and end walls, a stationary 'verticalpartition located in the midportion :of the :case,zinwardl-y extendingstops on theend'walls adjacent the open front'of the case,,and amovableslideinrsaid case provided with two upstanding push-postsarranged on the rear-portion thereof ssorasztorbe positionable "onopposite sides of said partition, and an upstanding stop on'saidslide'alinediwith said partition, the :parts being arranged so :thatwhen the cardpacks aregplaced in opposite positions in verticaldivergent planes on said slide betweenthe end walls andsaidpartitionsandthe slide is moved outwardly, theipaGks are movedaccordingly by action of said push-posts-so the individual cards in saidpacks are fl pped :from contact withsaidpartition into overlappingrelation withieach other, theistops on'the-endwalls and'the slide beingadapted to prevent-scattering of the overlapping cards,

'7. A card shufiler consisting of a support. member having a forwardlyextending verticalpartition supported in its -midportion and ,providedwith 'abutments at its ends'the inner faces of which slant upwardly andoutwardly, and a slide movable forwardly on said member and'providedwithupstanding push-posts disposed respectively on opposite sides ofsaid partition,each ofzsaid ends-having at itsforward portion aninwardly extending stop and said slide having an'upwardly extending stopmeanscooperatively alined with said partition, said push-postsand thestepson said ends and slide being arranged .to have .engagement withcard packs placed-on saidslide between said abutments and-thepartitionasthe slide is moved forwardly and cause the individual cardsof said-packsto be fiippedfrom said partition into overlapping relationwith ,each other and prevent scattering ofsaidcards.

WALTERE. SCHOUL'IZ.

References Cited in the file'of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 27,558 Great .i-Britain "19.09 430;504 Great :Britain CJune :20, $1935

